Screw holding screwdriver



Aug, 14, 1956 R. H. ALEXANDER 2,758,621

scREw HOLDING SCREWDRIVER Filed spt. 11, 195s INVENTOR.

@OY H ALEX/VEE,

ATTORNEYS United States Patent O SCREW HOLDING SCREWDRIVER Roy Harmon Alexander, Indian Rocks Beach, Fla. Application September 1'1, 1953, Serial No. 379,689

3 Claims. (Cl. 145-52) This invention relates to Screwdrivers and more particularly to Ia screwdriver adapted to grip a screw so that it may be started and to thereafter release the screw so that it may be driven into a piece of work in the normal manner.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a screw-gripping screwdriver which is adapted to firmly grip the head of a screw while it is being started, thereby eliminating the need .for drilling a hole to receive the screw prior to driving it. It is a further object of this invention to provide a screw-holding screwdriver of very simple construction, easy to use and low in manufacturing cost.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a screw-holding screwdriver in which the jaw members adapted to grip the head of a screw to be driven can be easily removed from the improved device and replaced by jaw members of any desired shape so as to provide the optimum gripping of various shaped heads. The interchangeability of the jaw members will enable the device of the present invention to be adapted for use in driving screws employed in specialty operations wherein the screws have heads of special shapes so as to save time and insure quick engagement fo the screw into the article the work is being performed upon.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following -detailed description, forming the specication, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the screwdriver embodying this invention, partially broken away to show a portion of the interior construction;

Figure 2 is a top plan View, partially in section to show the construction of the screw-holding means in partial detail;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view similar to Figure 3 but showing the screw-holding means in its retracted position upon the shank of the screwdriver; and

Figure 5 is a cross sectional View taken on line 5 5 of Figure 1.

' Referring to the drawings, there is shown a portion of the screwdriver shank designated by reference numeral having a tapered end portion 12 to provide the driving bit or blade of the screwdriver. This shank portion 10 and the bit or blade 12 are part of a very conventional type of screwdriver.

Sildably mounted upon the shank 10 is the screw-holding means, generally indicated at 14, comprising an inner sleeve 16, an outer sleeve 18 and a pair of similarly formed but oppositely disposed jaw members 20 and 22 detachably secured to the inner sleeve 16 and extending longitudinally of the inner sleeve in a direction toward the bit 12. The jaw members 20 and 22 are adapted to grip a screw, such as screw 24, which is to be driven by the screwdriver.

'I'he inner sleeve 16 is slidably mounted on the shank 10 of the screwdriver so that it may be moved longitudinally thereof. As best seen in Figures 3 and 4, the inner sleeve 16 is disposed adjacent the. tapered end portion 12 of the shank 10 land is provided with a portion of reduced diameter 26 so as to form a shoulder 28 with the portion 30 of greater diameter. The inner sleeve 16is in the form of a hollow cylinder so that the shoulder 28' encircles the reduced diameter portion 26 at its juncture with the greater diameter portion 30 of the inner sleeve 16. The inner sleeve 16 is further provided with a longitudinally extending slot 32 (Figure 1) having a laterally offset portion 34 which is in communication with the major portion of the slot 32 for a purpose that will pres ently appear.

It will be noted that, as seen in Figures 2 to 4, the reduced diameter portion 26 of the sleeve 16 will form an annular slot or chamber with the outer sleeve 18 which is of hollow cylindrical shape and slidably carried by the inner sleeve 16. It should also be observed, that the portion 30 of the inner sleeve 16 is slightly tapered in a direction away from the tapered end portion 12 of the screwdriver shank 10.

Each of the jaw members 20 and 22 are provided with arcuately formed jaws 35 and 36 respectively, which are disposed so as to face each other in slightly spaced relation and adapted to grip the shank of a screw, such as screw 24, on the shank thereof beneath the head 38 of the screw 24. The ends of the jaw members 20 and 22 remote from the jaws 35 and 36 are provided with T- shaped openings therein, as at 40 disposed centrally of the respective jaw members and with the stem of the opening extending to and opening upon the end of the jaw member in which the opening is provided. The inner sleeve 16 is provided with a pair of oppositely disposed T-shaped extensions 41 adapted to engage in the complementary openings 40 in each of the jaw members 20 and 22 so that the jaw members will be detachably secured to and carried by the inner sleeve 16. The straight portions of each of the jaw members 20 and 22 extending between the point of attachment to the inner sleeve 16 and the respective jaws 35 and 36 is disposed :at an outwardly extending angular relation with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shank 10 of the screwdriver, and the jaw members 20 and 22 being made of a resilient material so that there is some inherent resiliency in the jaw members.

With respect to the outer sleeve 18, it will be seen that the end of the sleeve 42 is adapted to ride upon the outer surface of each of the jaw members 20 and 22, this surface of the jaw members, indicated at 43, provide, in eiect, a camming surface since, `as previously indicated, this surface 43 is angularly inclined with respect tothe longitudinal axis of the shank 10. It will therefore be seen that when a screw is to be gripped by the jaw members, outer sleeve 18 is slid on the inner sleeve 16 in a direction away from the tapered end portion or bit of the shank 10 to permit the jaws 20 and 22 to open. With the jaws open, the inner sleeve 16 can be moved along the shank 10 to the point where the jaws 35 and 36 will extend slightly beyond the tapered end portion 12 so that the bit of the screwdriver will be able to enter the kerf or driving slot in the head 38 of a screw 24 with each of the jaws 35 and 36 being oppositely disposed about the shank of the screw 24 and immediately adjacent the head 38 thereof. To place the jaw members into gripping relation upon the shank of the screw, the outer sleeve 18 is slid forwardly or in a direction toward the driving bit of the screwdriver so as to ride upon the surface 43 of each of the jaw members thereby causing the jaw members to move into gripping relation about the shank of a screw to be held, such as screw 24.

In order to have the jaw members 2i) and 22 retained in their gripping relation with the screw 24, the outer sleeve Patented Aug. 14, 1956 18 which forces the jaw members into their gripping relation is urged upwardly along the inclined' surfaces 43 by a spring 44. The spring 44 is of the coiled type and surrounds the reduced portieri 26 of the inner sleeve 16 and disposed within the previously described annular chamber 46 dened between theouter sleeve 18 and the reduced diameter portion 26 of the inner sleeve 16. One end of the spring 44 will abut against the shoulder 2S while the other end of the spring 44 will be retained withinv the chamber 46 by means of a pair of oppositely and diametrically disposed rivets or pins 4S entering through suitable apertures 49 and registering slot 32 in the inner sleeve 16 adjacent the end of the inner sleeve 16 carrying the extensions 41. The pins 48 constitute stop members for the other end of the spring 44 remote from the shoulder 28. The outer sleeve 18 is moved along the inner sleeve 16 in the direction away from the tapered end portion i2 of the shank 10, the spring 44 will become compressed, however as` the jaws are permitted to open by this movement of the outer sleeve 18, the jaw members 20 and 22 may be. moved away from the bit or driving portion 12 so as to ride upon the shank 10, as shown in Figure 4, so that jaws 35 and 36 will be in gripping relation about the, shank to retain the outer sleeve 18 in its position to the rear or away from the end 12 of the shank 10 and being urged toward the driving bit 12 by the compressions of the spring 44. The slot 32 with its lateral offset portion 34, as shown in Figure 1, is duplicated on the diametrically opposed side of the inner sleeve 16 and each of the pins 48 are adapted. to ride in one of the slots 32 which act as guideways for the pins.

When it is desired to remove the jaw members 20 and 22 to replace them by jaw members of different jaw shapes so as to better grip screws having various formations with regard to the head thereof the outer sleeve 18 is slid along the inner sleeve 16 in the direction away from the tapered end 12 of the` shank 1 0-with the pins 48 riding in their associated slots 32 until they reach the end of the slot 32 adjacent the lateral offset portion 34 the outer sleeve 18 is then rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure l, and the pins 48 enter the lateral oifset portions 34, thus permitting detachment of each of the jaw members 20 and 22 from the inner sleeve i6. A new set of complementary jaw members may then be attached to the extensions 41'on the inner sleeve 16, the outer sleeve rotated in a clockwise directionso that pins 48 are again engaged within the guide slots 32 and the screw-holding means is again assembled for further operation.

As usual, with this type of screw-holding screwdriver, the screw is held by the screw-holding means 14 until the screw is started into the work, and after the screw has been started into the work, and the screw-holding means 14 moved along the shank of the screwdriver in the direction away from the driving end thereof by sliding the outer sleeve 18 in this direction thus releasing or opening the jaws 35 and 36 so that the screw-holding means 14 may then assume the position adjacent the tapered end or driving portion of the shank 1G, as shown in Figure 4. The screwdriver may then be used to continue the operation until the screw is driven home.

lt should also be noted that when not to be used, the screw-holding means i4 can be removed from the screwdriver by merely slipping it off the screwdriver shank. so that the screwdriver may oc employed without the screw-holding means 14.

While there are shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the structure is susceptible to change und modification within the practicability of the invention and therefore should be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

l. In a screw holding screwdriver, a cylindrical screwdriver shank having a forward end having a bit thereon,

an inner sleeve having a forward end and a rear end and provided with an axial bore opening through its ends, said inner sleeve having a side wall and having a peripherally reduced portion extending from said forward end to a point intermedite the ends of the inner sleeve and defining a shoulder at said point, the screwdriver shank being slidably and rotatably extended through said bore with said bit reaching forwardly `beyond the forward end of the inner sleeve, an outer sleeve slidably circumposed on said inner sleeve and having open forward and rear ends, with a portion of said outer sleeve surrounding the reduced portion of the inner sleeve, pin and slot means acting between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve in the region of said reduced portion and providing for limited endwise movement of the outer sleeve on the inner sleeve and preventing rotation of the outer sleeve relative to the inner sleeve, a pair of opposed jaw members positioned along opposite sides of said shank, said jaw members having forward ends having laterally inwardly projecting jaws and rear ends, the jaw members having rearwardly converging rear end portions terminating in said rear ends of the jaw members, said rear end portions being positioned rearwardly through the forward end of the outer sleeve and having outer sides, the open forward end of the outer sleeve dening a cam edge operatively engaging the outer sides of the rear end portions of the jaw members, means swingably connecting the rear ends of the jaw members to the forward end of the inner sleeve, and spring means acting between the inner and outer sleeves and yieldably urging the inner sleeve rearwardly relative to the outer sleeve.

2. In a screw holding screwdriver, a cylindrical screwdriver shank having a forward end having a bit thereon, an inner sleeve having a forward end and a rear end and provided with, an axial bore opening through its ends, said inner sleeve having a side wall and having a peripherally reduced portion extending from said forward end to a point intermediate the ends of the inner sleeve and defining a shoulder at said point, the screwdriver shank being slidably and rotatably extended through said bore with said bit reaching forwardly beyond the forward end of the inner sleeve, an outer sleeve slidably circumposed on said inner sleeve and having open forward and rear ends, with a portion of said outer sleeve surrounding the reduced portion of the inner sleeve, pin and slot means acting between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve in the region of said reduced portion and providing for limited endwise movement of the outer sleeve on the inner sleeve and preventing rotation of the outer sleeve relative to the inner sleeve, a pair of opposed jaw members positioned along opposite sides of said shank, said jaw members having forward ends having laterally inwardly projecting jaws and rear ends, the jaw members having rearwardly converging rear end portions terminating in said rear ends of the jaw members, said rear end portions being positioned rearwardly through the forward end of the outer sleeve and having outer sides, the open forward end of the outer sleeve defining a cam edge operatively engaging the outer sides of the rear end portions of the jaw members, means swingably connecting the rear ends of the jaw members to the forward end of the inner sleeve, and spring means acting between the inner and outer sleeves and yieldably urging the inner sleeve rearwardly relative to the outer sleeve, said spring means comprising a helical spring circumposed on the reduced portion of the inner sleeve and compressed between said shoulder and a portion of said pin and slot means.

3. In a screw holding screwdriver, a cylindrical screwdriver shank having a forward end having a bit thereon, an inner sleeve having a forward end and a rear end and provided with an axial bore opening through its ends, said inner sleeve having a side wall and having a peripherally reduced portion extending from said forwardv end to a point intermediate the ends of the inner sleeve and defining a shoulder at said point, the screwdriver shank being slidably and rotatably extended through said bore with said bit reaching forwardly beyond the forward end of the inner sleeve, an outer sleeve slidably circumposed on said inner sleeve and having open forward and rear ends, with a portion of said outer sleeve surrounding the reduced portion of the inner sleeve, pin and slot means acting between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve in the region of said reduced portion and providing for limited endwise movement of the outer sleeve on the inner sleeve and preventing rotation of the outer sleeve relative to the inner sleeve, a pair of opposed jaw members positioned along opposite sides of said shank, said jaw members having forward ends having laterally inwardly projecting jaws and rear ends, the jaw members having rearwardly converging rear end portions terminating in said rear ends of the jaw members, said rear end portions being positioned rearwardly through the forward end of the outer sleeve and having outer sides, the open forward end of the outer sleeve defining a cam edge operatively engaging the outer sides of the rear end portions of the jaw members, means swingably connecting the rear ends of the jaw members to the forward end of the inner sleeve, and spring means acting between the inner and outer sleeves and yieldably urging the inner sleeve rearwardly relative to the outer sleeve, said spring means comprising a helical spring circumposed on the reduced portion of the inner sleeve and compressed between said shoulder and a portion of said pin and slot means, said pin and slot means comprising longitudinal slots in the inner sleeve sidewall, and pins on and projecting inwardly from said outer sleeve and engaged in the slots against which an end of the spring bears,

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 96,263 Pinner Oct. 26, 1869 145,506 Kneeland Dec. 16, 1873 604,250 Jocelyn May 17, 1898 796,154 Schulze Aug. 1, 1905 1,126,370 Borresen Ian. 26, 1915 1,343,101 Weaver June 8, 1920 2,302,691 Green Nov. 24, 1942 2,658,538 Kitterman Nov. 10, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 4,518 Great Britain Dec. 29, 1875 388,962 Great Britain Mar. 9, 1933 459,853 Italy Oct. 6, 1950 

